HRD in Small Organizations - Research and Practice

Article Type: Bookshelf From: Industrial and Commercial Training, Volume 40, Issue 7

Edited by Jim Stewart and Graham Beaver,Routledge,Abingdon and New York NY,Digitally Printed 2007,317 pp.,ISBN:0415439876,UK £20 (paperback)

This book is part of the Routledge Studies in Human Resource Development and is edited by Professors Jim Stewart and Graham Beaver along with contributions from 27 senior academics from the UK, Ireland and Australia. The editors describe it as a research monograph that is likely to be of interest to students, academics and researchers plus practitioners and policy advisers in the fields of human resource development (HRD) and human resource (HRM). Because of the specific subject matter it will also be relevant reading for owner/managers of SME’s as well as small business advisers.

The stated main purpose of the book is to advance knowledge and understanding of the concept of HRD and its professional practice. This is achieved by presenting the reader with a comprehensive contemporary view of research into the practice of HRD in small organisations.

The text is divided into three parts which cover:

• 1.

  The context of HRD in small organisations.

• 2.

  The approaches to HRD in small organisations.

• 3.

  Applying HRD methods in small organisations.

The first part focuses on HRD research in small organisations and highlights the contextual characteristics of small organisations and the implications of these for the design and conduct of research into HRD practices. A number of findings are identified including the reasons that HRD research has been neglected in small organisations and why large firm logic does not transfer across easily to small firm context.

The second part reports on the results of research that are likely to inform understanding of approaches to HRD, particularly those based on the recent developments in information and communications technology. Relationships with national VET and employee development programmes are explored, as are relevant national standards. Findings also include research and comment on HRD and knowledge migration and e-learning within small organisations.

The third part examines HRD methods as they are applied and practised within small organisations particularly constructs such as coaching, mentoring and management development. Links are made to firm size and strategic objectives and type and the HRM orientation of owner/manager espoused values.

As with other books in the series, the content of the text is thorough and well researched as regards quantitative and qualitative analysis and is empirically rigorous and robust in terms of research approach and methods. At the end of each chapter key learning points from the chapter are summarised and a comprehensive bibliography is presented. As inferred in the title the content covers both research and practice and is equally relevant to both academic and practitioner. Case studies, examples, models and constructs are presented in equal measure and whilst the content would be rather “heavy” to read in one reading, as a dip in and dip out resource, the text has a wealth of information and application potential.

Alan CattellUniversity of Bradford, Bradford, UK